Living Valuably
by Pastor Susan Humbert
Proverbs 31:10 “A mighty woman, who can find? For her worth is far above jewels.”
Although our Monday night groups of the Ladies Table Groups ministry are studying through a feminine-driven passage, the book of Proverbs is universally purposed and should not be missed by either gender.
Our ten-week study began last Monday in a lesson titled, Living Valuably. Because we all, men and women alike, have been created in the image of God, we were born with an innate, intrinsic value that can be diminished or even lost along the way. One temptation is to buy into the devil’s lies, messages that the world perpetuates: My performance reflects my value, and my value depends on my performance. Its counterpart is sometimes more difficult to believe. Is my worth really far above jewels? In God’s eyes, yes, it is.
Some of us find it nearly impossible to reconcile our true value in Christ. Difficult life experiences have ripped away any notion that we are valuable and worthy of love. If this has been your experience, the good news is that there is hope. You are not held prisoner to old belief systems or past experiences, apparently an old custom. Apostle Paul encouraged the Philippian church with a similar appeal, “Forget what is behind, and strain toward what is ahead.” Our past holds no value, yet we often give it so much merit.
I used to base my value on past mistakes, which gave me no value at all, but with the power of the Holy Spirit, I turned the corner. I decided to reclaim my right as a child of God and in the process, was given holy amnesia. Now I couldn’t tell you about those old mistakes. I forgot.
